News

Teen ‘went mad’ after drugs

A TEENAGER who 'went mad' and caused trouble at home after a weekend on drugs threatened to kill a police officer, a court heard.

Groundworker Connor Sharkey, 19, had armed himself with a large knife and started to remove his upper clothing. He was then believed to have gone into the attic of the property in Haslingden and his mother feared he might hang himself.

Burnley Crown Court was told how Sharkey only calmed down when the officer told him he was taser trained and “red dotted” him. He told police he had been coming down from drugs and had heard rumours his girlfriend had cheated on him.

Sharkey, of Manchester Road, had admitted affray and had been committed for sentence by magistrates. He was given a 12 months supervision order, with 100 hours unpaid work.

Stephen Parker, prosecuting, said Sharkey lived with his mother and she called the police on January 20.

An officer attended and the defendant's mother had said he had knives and had “gone mad”. Mr Parker said Sharkey was shouting and placed his hands around his head in a rage. He had put a scarf around his face and was seen to pick up a large knife with a six to eight inch blade. The officer was concerned he might go into the street with the blade.

After the officer identified himself, the defendant told him: “I will kill you.” The prosecutor said the defendant was taken to the police station and when questioned the next morning he told officers he had been out over the weekend and had taken recreational drugs such as cocaine and ecstasy. He had only had two hours sleep over two days and had been coming down.